Korean Job Discussion Forums

[AsiaESLbound]

My public school contract specifically states I was supposed to get a 300,000 won settlement allowance upon arriving to help offset the initial costs associated with the visa and health exam, but I just get excuses as to why they can't pay me. We have to check the internet, we can't pull cash on school's account, everyone's situation is very different, each school is different, and we have a new finance system so maybe next week. I'm getting frustrated, becuase this means that since I'm having pay problems from the get go, I'm probably facing many more disappointments. They seem to not care what I say, how I feel, or what I think about anything. I'm deeply disappointed that they feel nothing about breaking contract and lying to me. What are they thinking? I'm just going to bend over, agree, and keep quiet? Fat chance.

Might they simply be waiting to see that I passed the health exam to qualify for an alien card? What recourse do I have should they have more excuses come next week? I asked them today if they were waiting on my health exam, but they wouldn't answer.

[AsiaESLbound]

So I'm the only new public school teacher still having this problem? Anyone else not receive your 300,000 won settlement money?

I was told providing my alien number today would enough to get paid, but upon providing it, they now want specific dates that will be on my card. This perturbed and greatly disappointed me this morning after being told many things up to now. Now I'm told new public school teachers have to wait until they receive their alien resident card due to new finance software before recieving settlement allowance and airfare money. I understand it does require an ARC to get a bank account and it does require a bank account to set up direct deposit, because any payment after settlement allowance is done only by direct deposit.

[kiknkorea]

It's not a good situation to be in, but I have to say you may need to get used to it.
I'm pretty sure you'll get your money, but a lot of employers like to do everything by the book here regarding money transfers. It's not as simple as writing a check here.

Once you get your bank account set up, it should be sent to your account (though you still may have to wait a few days for them to do it )
Try to be patient and best of luck getting your money.

[lifeinkorea]

You need to find a way to survive without any of their money until pay day for your 1st month's salary.

After that, you have a couple options. You can wait longer, or you can refuse to teach until you are paid and reimbursed for the plane ticket. Don't worry about the settlement allowance at this point, keep as a negotiating tool.

They will request you teach and wait. After a few rounds of this and giving them a hard time, agree to go back teaching on the condition they also pay the settlement allowance. Get a specific date when this will happen. Don't threaten legal action at this point.

Eventually, after being a stubborn demanding teacher, the school will stop wanting to deal with you. You can distance yourself from the higher ups, and they will make sure you are paid to shut you up from complaining.

If you act understanding and buy into their excuses the first time around, they will just string you along.

While you are experiencing this wonderful side to working in Korea, consider overtime work and how hard it will be to get this when pay time comes. I suggest doing a few hours to start off with near pay day. If you get overtime pay, then you can feel safer agreeing to more hours.

If you agree to overtime after pay day, then you have to wait till next time to collect on it.

[kiwiinkorea]

This same thing happened to me last year. I opened a bank account in my first week but the school said because of a new financial system that they couldn't pay me the settlement money until I got my ARC.

I had enough money to survive so I didn't fight this very hard and I did receive the money a couple of days after my ARC arrived.

I did wonder if the school was being untrufthful about not being able to pay me but I heard from another source (outside of school) that it was due to a new finance system and that other schools might have the same problem when they get the new system.

That doesn't really help you much but at least you know that it is not just you.

[jonpurdy]

Came here Sept. 2009. My VP picked me up at the airport and dropped me off at my place. After settling in, he handed me an envelope with the 300,000 settlement allowance.

Though it did take awhile for the airfare (due to human error).

[Senior]

I got an envelope first day at school, too. They did whip out 30,000, but it was something I would've had to pay for anyway.

OP, if you are battling, cash wise (which if you are I have no sympathy, as you shouldn't travel half way around the world, if you can't afford to extricate yourself, should it go bad), then tell them you are battling. 300,000 is chump change to a public school.

[schwa]

The days of cash envelopes of public school settlement money are finished.

Schools are hamstrung by provincial education office policy & no your school cant simply generate the money -- it has to come through channels, which takes time. It will be forthcoming eventually. Patience required.

Refusing to teach & calling your school admins liars -- worst advice ever. Guaranteed year in hell if they dont fire you sooner.

Not a good idea to sign on to a public school near-broke nowadays, if it ever was.

[ThingsComeAround]

OP: get it together! They aren't being straight up. Eventually they are hoping you will "forget" the money that they owe you. Don't think for a minute that after they "promise" something after breaking their word that it isn't their fault.

Have you started teaching? Did you get your ARC/health test? What was the excuse they told you since the health test?

It will take a miracle to regain strength without resorting to stomping your feet.

The next time they say "we can't because ______" pick up the phone, and tell them you should call the area's Office of Education. Not because it is
their fault, but someone should be able to answer the questions you have and clearly the people you work with can't do it.
Call their bluff.

If they still refuse, then really get the number of your nearest GEPIK coordinator and just ask questions (not rudely or angrily, but make sure this "situation" is legitimate~) Don't call anyone a liar, but let them know that you feel unhappy with they way they handled things.

schwa: they should be ponying up cash when they promise it in the contract.

[nautilus]

Its a public school. They'll pay.
Sounds like they're just new to the whole procedure- what, when and how its done. Are you their first foreigner by any chance?

I don't think they're malicious but they certainly seem a bit clueless.

Its basically unheard of for public schools to try and cheat employees. There is no motive for them to do so, its not their money they're handing out. If you were at a hogwon it'd be a different story.

My guess is that they will come through with it once all the dominoes fall into place for them. They tend to be a little inflexible and do stuff exactly by the book.

[dirving]

[dirving]

[AsiaESLbound]

Uh huh, I can see I'm in for a challenge. No, I'm not their first teacher and yes I recently discovered the first teacher had pay problems from start to finish, but did complete a year and a half with the school. It's not a bad job if only they didn't have the attitude that they can do as they please regarding money matters without regard for the contract and how the native teacher feels and thinks about the situation. They didn't like how I suggested this morning that I quit teaching until things are set straight which pissed off my coordinator who is adamant that a new finance system is the problem. I don't want to call anyone out as liars, but I do find this hard to believe after I was fed a string of lies before that explaination. It's OK for them to break contract, but it's far from OK for me to break the contract, even for 5 minutes. I do know that it's best to stand my ground with the first pay problem as it will only be harder to challenge them later on if I let things slide to a certain point, but refusing to work would probably only make things go from bad to worse. It's like you have to be hard at first to establish a relationship that includes both the yin and yang. What if I said I can't teach until my computer has a dedicated line? That would be absurdly rediculous and they wouldn't go for it. That's how I feel about them saying they can't pay me over having new finance software after other vague excuses didn't satisfy me.

[ThingsComeAround]

OP- don't stop teaching

that would be a very bad move on your part. it will only make things worse.

When is your payday? If they have your ARC, they should have 'paperwork' settled enough for that, at least. On payday they should give the bump of 300,000 (minus housing fee of 300,000 )

If you can manage a little more time (pub schools in GEPIK get paid on the 17th) try to let it slide until they have proven to have let you down. Pub schools aren't the most organized, and the most anal when it comes to giving foreigners money. Now if you were the principal on the other hand....

[nautilus]